Multiplex mirror

Abstract

A side view mirror ( 36 ) including a multiplexor chip ( 42 ), NTC thermistor ( 62 ) within the housing ( 10 ). The multiplexor controls multiple functionality from the housing ( 10 ) and provides simplified LIN bus connection to the vehicle.

1 . A method for positioning a mirror comprising: 
 (a) providing a mirror including a reflective surface;    (b) a carrier assembly attached to said mirror surface, said carrier assembly including a first motor for adjusting the angular orientation of the mirror by said motor;    (c) a signal pickup for electrically picking up a signal for each rotation of the motor shaft;    (d) measuring the rotation of the shaft between a first position and a second position for providing a position index for positioning said reflective surface at any predetermined point between said first and second position; and    (e) establishing a base point for positioning of said mirror surface by driving the motor to a stop at one of said first and second positions and thereafter actuating said motor to a predetermined position between said first and second positions.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising providing a multiplexing chip for providing positioning of the mirror.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said multiplexing chip stores one or several predetermined positions for said mirror surface in memory.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein a second motor is provided for adjusting said mirror, said first and second motors providing for adjustments in an x and y direction, said multiplexing chip monitoring and memorizing the rotations of the motors for determining position.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein an NTC thermistor is used to compensate for temperature variations in the electrical signal.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4  wherein said multiplexor also controls mirror functions selected from the group consisting of fold control, heating of the mirror surface, lighting, turn signals, alarms, intercom functions or combinations thereof and wherein said multiplexor includes a wiring harness into a vehicle consisting of three wires.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein said wires include positive power, a negative or ground wire and a serial connection wire.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein said serial connection wire is connected to a controller.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein said multiplexing chip is sealed in a housing and mounted in said mirror housing.  
     
     
         10 . A mirror having a plurality of controllable features selected from the group consisting of mirror adjustments, fold control, heating, lighting, memory, turn signals, temperature read-out, and intercom functions, said mirror comprising: 
 a mirror housing;    a multiplexing chip contained within said housing;    said multiplexor including a three wire serial connection to a control interface for controlling said controllable features.    
     
     
         11 . The mirror of  claim 10  wherein said three wire connection includes a positive connection, a negative (ground) connection, and a LIN serial bus connection.  
     
     
         12 . The mirror of  claim 10  wherein a thermistor is provided, said thermistor being connected to said multiplexor such that said multiplexor linearizes said thermistor and controls temperature sensitive electric functions from within said mirror.  
     
     
         13 . The mirror of  claim 10  wherein at least one motor having a rotatable shaft is provided for positioning of a mirror in a predetermined position within said housing, the rotations of said shaft being counted and stored in said multiplexor memory from at least one stop position, said multiplexor storing a predetermined mirror position and indexing to said stop position prior to moving said mirror into said predetermined position.  
     
     
         14 . A mirror for a vehicle comprising: 
 a mirror housing;    a multiplexing chip mounted in said housing;    a wiring harness connecting said multiplexing chip to a controller inside a vehicle; and    a thermistor connected to said multiplexor wherein said thermistor curve is linearized by said multiplexor and said multiplexor and the linearization is used to adjust for temperature induced fluctuations in the electronic control.    
     
     
         15 . The mirror of  claim 14  wherein said thermistor is selected from the group of NTC and PTC thermistors so the power or temperature may be controlled by pulse width modulation which is supplied by the multiplexing chip.  
     
     
         16 . The mirror of  claim 14  wherein said NTC signal and said multiplexor compensate for speed of motor in relationship to temperature for providing substantially constant speed under varying temperature conditions.  
     
     
         17 . The mirror of  claim 14  wherein said thermistor is integral with the mirror housing.  
     
     
         18 . The mirror of  claim 14  wherein said multiplexor is affixed in the mirror housing in an overmolded container.  
     
     
         19 . The mirror of  claim 18  wherein the housing is waterproof.  
     
     
         20 . The mirror of  claim 14  wherein said chip further comprises an output connector for attachment to the control inputs of a vehicle.  
     
     
         21 . A method for positioning a mirror comprising: 
 (a) providing a mirror including a reflective surface;    (b) a carrier assembly attached to said mirror surface, said carrier assembly including a first motor for adjusting the angular orientation of the mirror by said motor;    (c) a signal pickup for electrically picking up a signal for each rotation of the motor shaft;    (d) measuring the rotation of the shaft between a first stop position and a second stop position along either a first or second axis and averaging the result to provide a zero position index for positioning said reflective surface at any predetermined point between said first and second position; and    (e) establishing a base point for positioning of said mirror surface by driving the motor to said zero position, and thereafter actuating said motor to a predetermined position between said first and second positions by advancing the motor from said zero position to said predetermined position.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  further comprising providing a multiplexing chip for providing positioning of the mirror.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21  wherein said multiplexing chip stores one or several predetermined positions for said mirror surface in memory.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 21  wherein a second motor is provided for adjusting said mirror, said first and second motors providing for adjustments in an x and y direction, said multiplexing chip monitoring and memorizing the rotations of the motors for determining position, and wherein said zero position is established on both axes.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein an NTC thermistor is used to compensate for temperature variations in the electrical signal.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein said multiplexor also controls mirror functions selected from the group consisting of fold control, heating of the mirror surface, lighting, turn signals, alarms, intercom functions or combinations thereof and wherein said multiplexor includes a wiring harness into a vehicle consisting of three wires.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein said wires include positive power, a negative or ground wire and a serial connection wire.  
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27  wherein said serial connection wire is connected to a controller.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said multiplexing chip is sealed in a housing and mounted in said mirror housing.  
     
     
         30 . A mirror having a plurality of controllable features selected from the group consisting of mirror adjustments, fold control, heating, lighting, memory, turn signals, temperature read-out, and intercom functions, said mirror comprising: 
 a mirror housing;    a multiplexing chip contained within said housing;    said multiplexor including a three wire serial connection to a control interface for controlling said controllable features;    at least one motor having a rotatable shaft for positioning of a mirror in a predetermined position within said housing along a first axis, the rotations of said shaft being counted and stored in said multiplexor memory from at least one zero position, said multiplexor storing a predetermined mirror position and indexing to said zero position prior to moving said mirror into said predetermined position along said first and second axis.    
     
     
         31 . The mirror of  claim 30  wherein said three wire connection includes a positive connection, a negative (ground) connection, and a LIN serial bus connection.  
     
     
         32 . The mirror of  claim 30  wherein a second motor having a second rotatable shaft is provided for positioning said mirror along a second axis within said housing, wherein a zero position is provided as a point along said first axis and said second axis and is indexed prior to moving said mirror to said predetermined position.